Thanksgiving feels rushed. It’s a combination of commotion that includes seeing relatives, travel, hosting friends, and eating. Even Thanksgiving Day is continually encroached upon with shopping, working, and a host of other responsibilities. However, as I’ve been contemplating “turkey day,” I’ve been challenged about the daily practice of gratitude in my life.
Suffering and pain can often hinder us from opening up our hearts in thankfulness. Some of you may be in the midst of your own crucible and feel the weight of a hefty cross. When we experience pain, thankfulness can feel foreign. But in these moments, gratitude is especially valuable for our souls and our intimacy with God. Moreover, both Scripture and our shared Christian tradition encourage the habit of gratitude. But instead of simply telling ourselves, “be more grateful,” we can look to Scripture to offer us three truths that inspire gratitude.
First, gratitude instills hope. When I first begin to pray, it’s easy for me to recite my needs and requests. As I turn to thankfulness, my mind runs amok. It seems that I lose spiritual gumption and began thanking the Lord for the things I can readily see, taste, and touch. One way to alleviate this distraction is to use Scripture, particularly the Psalms. These holy texts capture our imagination and prompt us toward a vision of hope that renews our hearts. For example, in Psalm 107, verses 7-8, the Psalmist states, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” The author encourages Christians to meditate on God’s loving acts for us. Using this as a guide for thankfulness, we can express gratitude toward God for his unfailing love that works in us. Hence, contemplating his past and future love renews our hope. In our thankfulness, we look back on how God has loved us in Christ and we look forward to seeing his love in our present circumstance. Therefore, our Christ-centered gratitude solidifies our hope. As we think about God’s kindness towards us, we are reminded of his Gospel. Christ’s brutal crucifixion is again affixed in our minds and we are drawn to praise him for his grace and mercy. Even the Eucharist, known as “the table of thankfulness,” is a supper of gratitude. Like the Eucharist, Thanksgiving can be a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice. Gratitude helps us ponder the hope that we have in Christ; our union to him, and the ultimate renewal of creation.
Second, gratitude helps us see a renewed vision of our lives. As we look to Christ’s promises of mercy and renewal, our perspective is reshaped. We begin to imagine our circumstances in light of Christ who gives life and gives it more abundantly (John 10:10). This doesn’t mean we are thankful for the evil that has crept into our hearts, homes, or communities. On the contrary, gratitude helps us recognize what’s redeemable and work toward a better future. A grateful person is not a passive person. Christian thankfulness allows you to remain present and persevere in hope. It helps us understand our gifts, privilege, and resources. Only then can we use these gifts to glorify God and love our neighbors. Thankfulness takes our minds off ourselves, lifts our gaze to heaven, and then moves us to action for our neighbors. So, time spent in gratitude strengthens your will to pursue the good in your life. This is because thankfulness helps us recognize and value our faith communities, families, and friendships. Gratitude also changes your vision of yourself. Thankfulness helps us understand ourselves, God, and our place in the world. Through the practice of gratitude, we value who God made us in all our uniqueness. Spending time in praise and thanksgiving fundamentally shapes how we see ourselves and others, renewing a Christ-centered vision for our lives.
Finally, gratitude points us to the ultimate giver, Jesus Christ. As the Scriptures state, all good things come down from the Father of light (James 1:17). Even though we can be poor givers, God in Christ certainly knows how to give good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11). The Lord was so gracious in his gifts that God in Christ gave us the right to be called the children of God (1 John 3:1). In him, we again see the blessings that are alive to us in Christ. Our union to him is strengthened when we understand the source of every good thing, God himself. Thankfulness is fundamentally a way to recognize Christ in all things. In the midst of gratitude, God’s goodness and steadfast love are revealed in new ways in all that we touch, taste, and smell. Thankfulness then, helps us see him working in us for His good pleasure and our ultimate good. Ultimately, Christian gratitude deeply unifies us to the ultimate giver because it is the right and harmonious response to the lover of our souls (I Peter 2:25).
Published in Edmond Sun: Sunday Sermon 11/24/18